Try number 2 for smacking petition

Organisers of a petition to overturn anti-smacking laws have handed in their second attempt to gather the numbers required to force a referendum.

Kiwi Party Leader Larry Baldock handed over more than 390,000 signatures backing the call for a referendum on the question: "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand".

An attempt earlier this year failed when too many signatures were ruled to be invalid.

The petition was originally handed to the Clerk of Parliament on February 29, and needed 285,027 valid signatures – 10 per cent of the total number of registered voters on that day.

They had collected 324,316, well above the limit, but so many were ruled out during the checking process that they ended up with 269,500.

In April, Mr Baldock was given two months to gather more signatures.

On the steps of Parliament today he unfurled a banner which said the voice of the people would not be drowned out.

He was confident with the assistance of thousands of volunteers that a referendum would eventually be held.

The Office of the Clerk will check the petition over the next two months and if the threshold was met the Government would have one month to name a date.

Mr Baldock is hoping a referendum would coincide with the election, but the Government can delay any vote on the issue for up to a year.

This weekend (June 21) marked the first anniversary of the so-called anti-smacking legislation coming into force.

The architect of the bill, Green MP Sue Bradford, said the new law is working well and should be left alone.

Ms Bradford's legislation amended section 59 of the Crimes Act to remove the defence of reasonable force for parents who physically discipline their children.

The amendment, which was supported by the overwhelming majority of Parliament, gave police discretion to judge whether a reported offence warranted prosecution.

There is to be a review of the law next June, two years after its introduction.

Ms Bradford said there was evidence the law change was working as intended.

"Over the past couple of years more and more New Zealanders are turning away from using violence in bringing up their children," Ms Bradford said.

"Opponents to the bill predicted that if it passed good parents would be locked up in droves and have their children removed from them. More than a year on, this fear is clearly unfounded."

She said reversing the law change would be a step backwards.

Material provided by the Government showed over the six months between September and April police attended 288 child assault incidents.

In the three months prior to this 111 incidents were attended.

Of the 288 incidents, 13 involved "smacking",

This was up from three in the previous period.

None of the incidents resulted in a prosecution.

Of the 288 incidents, 69 involved "minor acts of physical discipline.

Of those only four resulted in prosecution, one did not proceed and was treated through diversion.

Three other alleged offenders have remanded on bail and are due to appear in early July.  

- NZPA